


We All Have Secrets

by julsweav



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Themes, Other, Transgender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24804781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julsweav/pseuds/julsweav
Summary: Desmond has a secret as does Pomona Sprout. With Dumbledore's help, maybe the two of them can find a way to be themselves.
Kudos: 1





	We All Have Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter title (My Lover's the Sunlight) comes from the song 'Take Me to Church'. I loved this song when I first heard it on 'Glee'. I loved it even more after I heard Hozier sing it himself in his own video. The video brings some truths out for those who are afraid to come out. Justifiably so.
> 
> Maybe someday the world will be a better place for everyone that lives on it. Until then - we hope, we fight, and we stand up for others.

“I don’t know what to do, Albus,” Pomona admitted after gazing into the fire in Dumbledore’s office. She turned to look at the Headmaster and sighed.

“What’s the problem, ‘Mona?” Dumbledore asked. He reached into the bowl of lemon drops on his desk and popped one in his mouth. He knew what was going on, of course. The portraits kept him well abreast of everything that went on in the castle called Hogwarts.

“It’s Desmond,” Pomona said finally and shuffled over to take a seat across from Dumbledore. Out of habit, she too reached into the bowl and popped a sweet into her mouth. 

“The boy is doing alright?” Albus asked with a raised brow. All of his students in the castle were his concern, after all. Whether they be Gryffindor (like himself and Minerva McGonagall ). Hufflepuff (like Pomona Sprout that stood before him), Slytherin (like Horace Slughorn), or Ravenclaw (like Filius Flitwick). While he left the care of the students to their Heads of House usually, there were a few who came under his radar.

Like Desmond Gallagher.

“His grades are fine, he’s set to graduate,” Pomona replied. Her eyes were sad though, and she sucked reflectively on her lemon drop.

“So, what’s the problem then?” Albus asked curiously. He worried for Pomona herself sometimes. He’d just been a teacher when she’d attended the school herself. But even then, he’d know a kindred spirit, and when she’d needed someone to talk to, he’d been there for her.

“I think he’s confused,” Pomona said sadly. Her heart broke for the boy like no other. She’d been his head of house for the past seven years. He was a tenderhearted, and caring boy. Almost too much, but she’d seen the confusion fill his face lately. 

Back in time, when Pomona had had the same type of feelings and confusion, she hadn’t many to talk to. Society wasn’t as open as it was now. As it would hopefully be in the future. Pomona was just glad she’d grown up in the magical world, for the Muggle world was so much harsher on her kind.

“He has to be ready by himself, ‘Mona. But,” Albus looked soberly at his fellow faculty member. “Perhaps if you share Peter’s story with Desmond, it may help him come to grips with how he is feeling.” _And help you also,_ Dumbledore thought hopefully.

_Peter,_ now there’s a name she hadn’t thought of in years, but had never left her side. Her head nodded slowly in agreement. _Maybe._

“Y’know, I still haven’t talked to my family since that day,” Pomona sadly said. Her parents were now long gone, and her sister lived happily married back in Wales. She had nieces and nephews she’d never seen, let alone held.

“I know,” Albus replied kindly and pointed to the bowl of lemon drops. “Take some of them for your talk to Desmond. If you want to, this summer we can go see your sister,” he offered and stood up. “It can’t hurt.”

“I’ll think about it,” Pomona said shakily. Could she really face up to her own fears?

~*~~*~

Pomona entered the Greenhouse later that evening. There was so much to assemble together for the N.E.W.T.S coming up. She’d been gathering together what she could for weeks, but some could only be gathered up closer to that time.

The sight of a slight, curly haired boy by the Mandrakes gave her a start. She hadn’t expected anyone to be there so late at night. “Shouldn’t you be in the dorms by now, Gallagher?” she asked softly, so as not to startle him.

“Professor!” Desmond exclaimed and turned to look at his Head of House. What looked like tears clung to his lashes, and Sprout sighed.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you, but if you're going to be around the Mandrakes you need earmuffs,” Pomona reminded him and Desmond reached down to pick up a pair and shoved them on his head in a _there,_ motion.

“Good, good,” Sprout commended, “What brought you out here to the Mandrakes?”

Desmond shrugged his shoulders and looked at his professor. He couldn’t explain it even to himself, so how could he explain it to Sprout.

“I’m not sure, just that they seem so alone and misunderstood,” Demond mumbled out finally and attempted to quirk a half smile.

“Horticulture is a good way to help you work through things,” Pomona told him. “It helped me a lot when I was your age. Nothing better than digging your fingers through warmy, spongy earth to help you think.”

Desmond’s brow rose a little with her words. He’d always considered Sprout a merry little dwarf, digging merrily in the dirt to care for her only friends; her plants. Maybe there was more to her.

“Right,” Desmond replied uncertainly. “What could you possibly know what I’m going through?” But he followed her down the lines away from the Mandrakes, when they were far enough, he shed his earmuffs. Even though they were spelled to let human words through, he felt weird in them.

A feeling he’d been feeling for simply ages now. Maybe all of his life.

“Let me tell you about Peter,” Pomona began, feeling trepidation. She’d shoved Peter into a closet in her mind a long time ago. Bringing him back made her feel exposed, like she hadn’t in so many years.

Desmond nodded his head. “Sure.”

“Peter was a Hufflepuff much like you were back in the day. He had an older sister, her name was Mary. Oh how he loved her, and she loved him. He was the baby of the family, and that’s how he was treated.

“He was given the best of toys, the best of clothes. He did love the Quidditch items - he and Mary used to toss the quaffle back and forth.

“But Peter had a secret, that only Mary realized,” Pomona said in almost a whisper that had Desmond leaning in closer.

“He liked to play with Mary’s dolls too. Not that Mary minded, there weren’t too many kids around their age to play with. Their mother just chalked it up to that and made no mind of it. _Yet._ ”

Pomona sighed and reached into her pocket and pulled the lemon drops Dumbledore had given her and offered one to Desmond.

“Been to see Dumbledore, eh?” He asked and took one. He’d been in the Headmaster’s office a few times. Nothing major, the elder wizard liked to keep tabs on some of his students.

“Yes -” Pomona paused to pop her lemon drop in her mouth, “Now where was I? Oh yes… Playing with dolls didn’t make Peter the way he was, nor was -” She looked around them, “Dressing up in some of Mary’s old clothes. Something their mum and dad did not approve of at all,” she said with a huge sigh, “But the clothing made Peter feel whole, and when he went off to Hogwarts, well, he had to leave that part of himself behind.”

“That’s not fair,” Desmond replied, but a dawning realization was lightening his eyes.

“No it wasn’t, but it was a different time back then. Less open, less accepting,” Pomona said sadly. “He kept his true self hidden away for seven years.”

“What about Mary?” he asked.

“She followed their parents' edicts, like any good daughter would. Peter cried the night away, but the next Hogsmeade weekend before the End of Year Ball, he headed off to the dressmaker’s for robes to go to the Ball in. He bypassed the male robes section bravely, but slightly scared. It ran through him, but he tampered it down.

“It was time for Peter to be true to himself. His Transfiguration professor had given him a talk like we’re having - about being true to yourselves. Peter had found a few accepting friends, and he felt he could do it with his head held high.”

“Really?” Desmond asked eagerly. “Did he…”

“Peter lost his family, but gained a new one - those here at Hogwarts. I haven’t regretted walking out on the dance floor as my true self ever.” Pomona admitted and smiled encouragingly.

“You’re Peter,” Desmond said, and smiled at Sprout’s confirming nod. Her hand reached back into her pocket and retrieved a few more of the lemon drops. Wordlessly she handed them to him and left.

Leaving him to think over what they talked about and to make an important decision on his own.

As it should be.

~*~*~

Rosemerta walked out of the Hufflepuff Common Room with a huge grin. Her trip to Hogsmeade had been quick, and by chance a friend had been in the dressmakers and had offered her help.

It was amazing. Her hair was still short, but the light tiara helped to mask the starkness of it. Her dress billowed out around her in pleats, and her heels were short, for she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to that. Wibble, wobble, fall flat on your face heels had always scared her even back when he played with his mother’s shoes.

“You look wonderful,” A light voice said behind her, and she turned to smile. “May I escort you to the hall?”

“Of course,” Rosemerta replied happily, feeling bolstered by the kindness of a friend. A friend who always felt outside the lines like she did. For different reasons, but it did make all the difference to her.

“Then Remus John Lupin at your service,” he said with a proffered arm. “I claim half your dances,” he added with a smile and placed his hand on top of hers.

“Rosmerta Gallagher gratefully accepts your service,” she said and grinned up at him. She wasn’t sure how everyone else was going to react - or his crazy friends, even. James and Sirius had always been dark horses to her and still were. They had their quirks, for the most part nice - unless you were a certain Slytherin.

Rosmerta didn’t want to face that sort of reaction. She could see them at the doors of the Great Hall waiting on Lupin, and now _her_. She could feel the stress sweat forming.

“Relax,” Remus whispered into her ear. “We all have our secrets,” he added mysteriously, “Maybe one day I’ll be confident to share mine.”

“You two look great,” James commented with his arm around his girlfriend’s waist. “I’ve forgotten your name though -”

“James!” Lily hissed out, but turned to grin at Rosmerta. “Men can be so--”

“Toerags?” Sirius broke in and laughed.

“Right,” Lily said pertly, “I’m sorry about these blokes.”

“It’s fine, and it’s Rosmerta,” she replied, feeling more at ease surrounded by these accepting sort of schoolmates.

“Pretty name,” Sirius said, “Don’t let Remus hog all the dances, I’ll take a few also!” He laughed, made a slight bow and headed off to a group of girls that had been smiling his way since he’d walked into the Great Hall with James.

~*~*~

Pomona looked towards the entrance of the Great Hall where the younger crowd stood and smiled to herself.

“She has a long way to go still,” warned Albus, but smiled widely that made his eyes twinkle.

“I think she’s got a good base though,” he added and looked at Sprout expectantly.

“I’ve decided to go see Mary,” Pomona confessed, a slight bit of worry crossing over her face. “It’s time, I never gave her the chance, I suspect.” She held up a timeworn envelope. “She wrote to me shortly after I left home, I was just too afraid to read her rejection then.”

“Ah,” Dumbledore said and nodded.

“That was your plan all along wasn’t it?” she asked him.

“Yes, dance?” he asked her and offered his arm, she took it and followed him out to the dance floor.

“You old…” she began and they circled around the floor.

“Coot?” he suggested and they both laughed. Their friendship spanned a few decades, as well as shared secrets.

“I’ll go with you, if you’d like,” Albus offered again with a gentle smile.

“I may take you up on that,” Pomona replied and allowed herself to get lost in the dance.


End file.
